New rule puts wrinkle in fashion shows

Attic Static, the third-year menswear show, was tinged with controversy from the very beginning. Third-year students were furious when the faculty revealed that, contrary to previous years, all Ryerson fashion shows must be held on campus. In the past, shows have been held at venues such as the Queens Quay Centre, Futures Bakery and a Presbyterian church.

Despite attempts to fight the new rule, this year’s show was held March 22 in Jorgenson Hall.

According to fashion professor Lucia Dell’Agnese, the decision was responding to student concerns about “excessive work loads.” She says students complained that organizing a show in addition to other projects and assignments was too much to handle.

“All of the different parts of learning, whether it’s on-campus or off-campus are still there, it’s just a little less taxing on students’ time if everything is in-house,” says Dell’Agnese. “The bulk of what is done on and aft campus is the same.”

While the change may ease the workloads of the students organizing the show, designers lose the chance of having their garments displayed in a distinguished and professional-looking venue.

Azadeh Sabour, one of the organizers of last year’s menswear show, says she is uncomfortable with teachers deciding to ease the workload of students organizing the show at the expense of the students displaying their garments.

“In order to have more output, you must have more input,” she says.

While producing a show is demanding, she says it was entirely her “prerogative” to implement the type of high-calibre show that would motivate the designers and also impress the guests, judges and industry-members who attend.

Michelle Lukawitz, director of Attic Static, agrees.

She was also involved in producing one of last year’s mini-shows and understands the time commitment involved. Although Lukawitz admits that it was challenging to focus on other projects along with Attic Static, directing fashion shows is her “favourite part of Ryerson.”

But it’s difficult for a show to succeed when organizers are faced with the problem of presenting in a poor venue. Only about 100 were in attendance at each of the two showings of Attic Static in comparison to ver 500 at last year’s show held at the Guvernment.

In an effort to produce a more professional show, third-year design and apparel production students are working on a menswear production in time. The details of the show, including its specific date and off-campus venue, while be available in the upcoming weeks.